Pressure cookers are amazing kitchen tools, and if you haven't worked with one since your…
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The video above does a great job of explaining what to look for (and more importantly, what to look out for) when you shop for a pressure cooker, but ultimately you're looking for a stove-top pressure cooker (as opposed to an electric) with a thick, heavy heating disc at the bottom and straight sides to ensure even heating and no interior scorching. A wider, more flat pot is better than a tall one, just for ease of use. Plus, a wider cooking base means you can use a larger burner, and easily handle recipes that call for browning before adding liquid and sealing the cooker.

You also want to make sure the cooker you buy has an easy-to-see indicator that it's at-pressure, as opposed to one that requires you to be close to look down into a hole to see whether it's reached its pressure point. Plus, you also want a cooker that prevents evaporation during cooking and minimizes steam loss—that way your food won't burn inside the cooker.

Ultimately, not all pressure cookers are made equal, but shopping for a good one doesn't have to be difficult, just look for the things that make cooking in it as easy as possible and will help keep it alive and in good condition for the long haul. Watch the video to see how America's Test Kitchen tested their cookers, and which ones to look for when you go shopping.